the vintage triumph · address and other changes should be sent directly to editor, tvt, 10...
TRANSCRIPT
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F E B R U A R Y / M A R C H 2 0 1 7 1 6 1
T H E V I N T A G E
T R I U M P H
- M A G A Z I N E O F T H E V I N T A G E T R I U M P H R E G I S T E R -
®
Cover Headline Here
National Board
Honorary Members
Address and other changes should be sent directly to Editor, TVT, 10 Hawthorne Rd., Wayne, NJ 07470-5051 and [email protected].
WEBMASTER – Blake J. Discher 313.259.4460, [email protected]
CHAPTER INSURANCE COORDINATOR Jack Nixon 5 Dune Rd., Brewster, MA 02631 508-896-7662, [email protected] ADVISOR – Tony Rhodes 39 San Souci Drive, South Hadley, MA 01075 215-285-0422, [email protected] MANAGER – Irv Korey760 Barberry RoadHighland Park, IL 60035-3814847 [email protected]
ROAD RACING ADVISOR – Joe Alexander 645 First Street, Jesup, IA 50648, 319-827-2745, [email protected] INSURANCE COORDINATOR – Angela Anthony16 Warwick Road, Edison, NJ 08820800 594-5230VEHICLE REGISTRAR – Jon Korbin 4254 De Paul Street, Ventura, CA 93003, 805-642-5855, [email protected] ASSISTANCE PROGRAM – David E. Pilcher, 800 Colony Court, Fort Worth, TX 76131, (817) 521-3157 Cell [email protected],
VEHICLE CONSULTANTS10/HERALD/VITESSE (SPORTS 6) – Andrew St. J. Mace 7341 NY 66, East Nassau, NY 12062, 518-766-5413, [email protected] Database: http://triumph-herald.usDOLOMITE SPRINT – Richard Truett 2755 Kenmore Rd., Berkley, MI 48072, 248-336-0472, [email protected]É – James M. Jennings II 1384 Tanforan Drive, Lexington, KY 40517, 606-273-2376; fax 606-272-0059, [email protected] – Tyrone Stoner P.O. Box 68, Barium Springs, NC 28010, [email protected], cell: 704-929-4728, home:704-528-3053
MAYFLOWER – Position OpenSWALLOW DORETTI – T.R. Householder 1151 Parkview Drive, Lancaster, OH 43130, 740-653-1686, [email protected] – Duncan Wood 2915 Lakeside Circle, Grapevine TX 76051, [email protected], 817/251-0912ROADSTER / RENOWN – Marty Lodawer 17910 River Circle #3, Canyon Country, CA 91351-3591, 661-299-5697 (voice & fax), [email protected] / GT6 – Ralph Jannelli3901 Davis Dr., Charlotte, NC 28270. 704-351-0864. [email protected] – Michael M. Coffey 401 Brighton Dr., Clarks Green, PA 18411, 570-586-1810, [email protected] / WARWICK – Vern Brannon 6644 Pensford Lane, Charlotte, NC 28270, 704-364-0426, [email protected]/3/3A/3B – William E. Redinger 1014 N. 127 Avenue, Omaha, NE 68154 402-496-2006, [email protected] – Col. Arthur M. Kelly, Jr. 910 Houston St. #503, Fort Worth, TX 76102, 817-810 0990, [email protected] – Chris Kantarjiev The Dimebank Garage, 1530 Portola Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94306, 650-326-6350 (voice & fax), [email protected] – Roy Smith 1470 Jordan Avenue, Jackson, NJ 08527, 732-408-9313, [email protected] – Joshua A. Mazer One Carvel Rd., Annapolis, MD 21401, 410-349-1298, [email protected] – Mark Pelham 2550 Park St., Terre Haute, IN 46803, 812-235-9862, [email protected]/TR8 – Bruce Clough 1726 Sutts Trail, Xenia, Ohio 45385-9001, 937-376-9946, [email protected] – Joe Earnest 3129 Octavia Place, Atlanta, GA 30340, 678 778 6175, [email protected]
Dorothy Deen Sitz *Vernon Brannon Dennis Barbet
Ray BatesWalter J. Belgrove *Siegfried Bettman *
Sir John Black *Frank Callaby *
Henry Austin Clark, Jr. *Michael L. Cook
Alick S. Dick *Jack Drews *
John Dugdale *Darrell Floyd
David HardcastleDonald Healey * Kit Heathcote *Ray Henderson *Fred S. Horner *
Kas KastnerRichard M. Langworth
VTR BOARDPRESIDENT – Jack McGahey 8102 Acton Court, Mint Hill, NC 28227, 704 562-6786, [email protected]–MEMBER SERVICES – Greg Taylor14908 E Bella Vista Dr.Veradale, WA 99037509 [email protected]–REGION, CHAPTER SERVICES – Ronnie Babbitt 104 Crestridge Ct., Centerville, GA 31028, [email protected], 478-256-4834VP–BUSINESS SERVICES – Irv Korey760 Barberry RoadHighland Park, IL 60035-3814847 [email protected] COORDINATOR – Jamie Palmer 4737 Shady Greens Drive,Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526 [email protected] JUDGE – Darrell Floyd 1996 Four Seasons, Akron, Ohio 44333, 330-666-2817, [email protected] AT LARGE – Robert L. Jones 1829 Confederate Way, Westville, FL 32464, 850-956-2887, [email protected] – Robert L. Jones 1829 Confederate Way, Westville, FL 32464, 850-956-2887, [email protected] & CORRESPONDENCE SECRETARYRobert DeLucia2593 Trewigtown Rd.Colmar, PA 18915215 822-0725MEMBERSHIP SECRETARYDick Birch504 Wildflower TrailLexington, NC 27295336 247-4749 [email protected] SECRETARY EMERITUS Bill Lynn 100 Pine Tree Lane, Riverwoods, IL 60015, 847-940-9347, [email protected]
CHAPTER COORDINATORSNORTHEASTERN – Dave Hutchison 799 Whistlestop Lane, Quakertown, PA 18951, 215 527-1409 (cell), [email protected] – Stephen W. Ward4301 Chandworth Road, Charlotte, NC [email protected](704)553-0135NORTH CENTRAL – Bob Palmer 7115 Ridge Rd., Parma, Oh. 44129440-796-0104. [email protected] CENTRAL – Clay Thompson 4015 Duval St., Houston, TX 77087-1312.713-434-1434 (Home)713 823-7803 (Cell) [email protected]://www.jclay.meNORTHWESTERN – William [email protected] 402-496-2006SOUTHWESTERN – Robert M. “Bert” Bennett 2781 W.MacArthur Blvd #153, Santa Ana, CA 92704. 714-309-6733 [email protected].
VTR SUPPORT FUNCTIONSEDITOR, THE VINTAGE TRIUMPH – Mike Cook 10 Hawthorne Road, Wayne, NJ 07470-5051, 201 424-5838 (Cell) 973 835-7604 (Home)[email protected]
TVT ASSOCIATE EDITOR – Mark Morgan1225 Dunloe Rd, Ballwin, MO 63021314 607-1507 [email protected] CHIEF JUDGE – Beverly Floyd 1996 Four Seasons, Akron, Ohio 44333, 330-666-2817, [email protected] ADVISOR – Marty Sukey 38286 Law Rd.., Grafton, OH 44044, [email protected], 440-225-0209TVT BACK ISSUES – Dick Birch504 Wildflower TrailLexington, NC 27295336 247-4749 [email protected]
John A. Lloyd * Bill Lynn
Harris MannRandy Mason
J. Bruce McWilliams *Giovanni Michelotti *
Bill PiggottKen Richardson *Dennis J. Riley *Graham Robson
Steve RossiMike Rothschild *Charles RunyanTed Schumacher
Bill SohlBob Tullius
Ben Warwick *Harry Webster *
* Indicates Honorary Member is Deceased
T H E V I N T A G E T R I U M P H
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Triumphs for the FamilyPaul McBride’s article about his Spitfire (page 10) pulled
me out of 2017 and back 50+ years to the time when your dosage of Triumph driving fun wasn’t just for weekends but administered every day. A newly married couple in 1963 was much less likely to have two cars. That’s right, your TR or Spitfire was your daily driver, a go-to-work car that doubled as a pleasure vehicle from Friday night to Monday morning. Even on Saturday, though, it was still needed for trips to the store, etc.
The McBrides put 20,000 miles a year on their Triumph with few mechanical problems. They also had a dealer close by and even in the mid-sixties, Standard-Triumph had a network of parts warehouses across the country. A vacation trip to South Dakota and Wyoming in the Triumph was just a jaunt in the family car! It’s different today; would you take your pampered collectible on such a trip?
The McBrides traded the Spitfire for a sedan when baby #2 came along but other families stuck to their TRs. In old issues of the TSOA Newsletter there are pictures of family vacations that took advantage of the TR3’s accessory rear seat cushion to fit in the children. One couple took four children with them, three older ones on the rear seat and the baby on mom’s lap! My three boys used that rear seat in a TR6 until the oldest was approaching 16! Automotive safety had not yet become such a passion.
Fast, reliable, comfortable and economical, Triumph sports cars were good family transportation, suffering only from a shortage of luggage room. But you could always add a luggage rack! Who needs a big old SUV?
Contents Commentary
The Vintage Triumph Register was founded in 1974 and is dedicated to the maintenance, preservation and enjoyment of the Triumph marque. Benefits of membership include a bi-monthly magazine, The Vintage Triumph; technical consultants; annual Convention which brings to-gether hundreds of Triumph enthusiasts at various locations across the US; support of local and regional clubs; Triumph regalia; and special rates on insurance for your vintage automobile.
To join, go to the Vintage Triumph Register website, www.vtr.org, or send $35 for one-year in US ($40 for Canada/Mexico; $45 elsewhere – all funds in US dollars) to The Vintage Triumph Register, PO Box 655, Howell, MI 48844. Information on affiliated local chapters and zones is available on the website as well as being listed on the inside back cover. Ownership of a Triumph is not a requirement for membership.
VTR e-mail discussion list: [email protected]
VTR Privacy Statement: The Vintage Triumph Register does not sell or in any way provide your name and/or personal information beyond our membership. However, periodically your mailing information may be used to provide “value added” services or materials. Examples include free or substantially discounted towing services for Convention attendees or complimentary magazine issues from previously approved publications. Rest assured that the services or materials offered will always be from sources approved by the National VTR Board of Directors and/or the National VTR club president. You may chose to “opt-out” of the additional “value added” component by visiting the website (www.vtr.org) and following the directions on the bottom of the Home page labeled “Opt-out.”
F E B R U A R Y / M A R C H 2 0 1 7 1 6 1
The rarest and most unusual Triumph on the field at the 2016 VTR Convention was this 1936 Gloria Vitesse, custom-bodied by Cross and Ellis. Seven were made but only three survive. See page 8 for the story.
Vintage Triumph Register
Cover
VTR Hall of FameMike BilykRick Cline
Jimmy Coan*Beverly Floyd
Lawton (“Lanky”) Foushee *Dan FowlerDan GaitensChris HanselScott HarperBob JohnsBob Jones
Don KennedyIrv Korey
Andrew Mace
Douglas MitchellJack Nixon
George RabeyBill RedingerJoe Richards
John SaundersE. Alan StryeskiDean TettertonFred Thomas *John Warfield
* Indicates HoF member is deceased
Letter from the President 2News 2 South Central Regional Britain on the Green 3 Kastner Receives Webster Award 2017 Kastner Cup VTR 2017 Convention 4 David Keepax Obituary 5Peter Clarke 61936 Gloria Vitesse 2.0 Drophead 8My First Triumph 10Comm. (Communications) Check 122016 America’s British Reliability Run 14Mike Cook Remembers 18Fuel Mileage Guide 20What’s Under the Bonnet? 22Triumph Winter – North vs. South 24VTR Chapters 27Classifieds 28
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Plan to Attend VTR 2017
If you don’t already know about The British Sports Car Hall of Fame, please go to www.britishsportscarhall.org and read all about it, then come back here and join me in congratulating our much beloved TVT Editor Mike Cook on his upcoming induction with the Hall’s freshman class of 2017. If you have been a fan of the Triumph marque or otherwise involved with this hobby for more than 5 minutes, you will already be aware of Mike’s long association with these cars and the company that made them and his many accomplishments over the years. Since you are holding this magazine in your hands you must certainly also be aware of how valuable Mike is to The Vintage Triumph Register and I’m sure you appreciate his continuing involvement with us all. Forgive me for not going thru all those things in more detail, because I’d rather just skip ahead and add that one of the greatest privileges of serving as a VTR officer has been the opportunity to spend more time with Mike and get to know him better. My wife Caroline and I treasure every moment we get to spend with Mike and look forward to many more opportunities to do so in the future. Congratulations Mike!
I know there is going to be an article in this issue about a Spitfire Six built by Mike Cook’s son Tim. I’m sure the car will be interesting to read about, but just in case the article doesn’t reveal it, I’ll just tell you Tim Cook is a pretty interesting person, even if he hadn’t recently built his second Spitfire Six. We had the opportunity to spend a little time with Tim when he accompanied Mike to The Kastner Cup Race weekend at Road Atlanta some years back. We’ve also had the chance to meet Tim’s brother Drew on 2 different occasions when we made trips to California for Triumphest/VTR events. I dare not try to repeat any of the stories I heard, but I will say that I hope I get the chance to meet the other 2 Cook kids someday. I’ll bet the 4 of them could get together and write a best-selling book about “Growing Up Triumph.”
Don’t forget to drop by www.vtr2017.org and make plans to attend the next VTR National Convention, if you haven’t already. I hate to sound like the little boy who cried “Wolf!” so many times that people stopped paying attention, but I’m pretty sure the day will come when we will no longer have big events like this to look
Jack McGahey
forward to every year. I know the Delaware Valley Triumph and New Jersey Triumph Association folks will host a great event and northeastern VTR events have always attracted great cars in big numbers, so you don’t want to miss this one if you can possibly make it!
PresidentL E T T E R F R O M T H E
T H E V I N T A G E T R I U M P H
News
What’s Coming in the Next TVT?• A• VTR• 2017 Convention
Nominations are Due for Directors and Regional Coordinators.
In 2017, elections will be held for the positions of VTR President, Membership Secretary, Treasurer, Events Coordinator, and Chief Judge. Elections will also be held for each VTR Region to fill the positions of Regional Coordinator. These officers shall constitute the Board of Regional Coordinators headed by the Vice President for Region and Chapter Services. The terms for all of these offices are four years.
Nominations open May 1, 2017 and close July 31, 2017. Nominations are to be sent to Director-at-Large Bob Jones (address on inside front cover). Biographies and statements by nominees will be published in TVT #162 and 163. Ballots will be in the October-November issue, #165.
Don Kennedy Named to VTR Hall of fame
Don Kennedy has been named to the VTR Hall of Fame in recognition of his years of service to the club. Don volunteered to computerize the VTR membership/mailing list back in 1978. Having accomplished this, he maintained the list for the next fifteen years at virtually no cost to VTR, using company equipment and facilities with permission from his employer. In 1993 he handed over to Bill Lynn.
Located in Reading PA., Don purchased a TR race car and hill climbed it in 1970 and 1971 in PA Hillclimb Association competition. He then bought a street TR3 and drove it for a couple of years until stashing it away. Now retired, he plans to restore the TR3 and also a ‘66 TR4A IRS. Don’s letter to Jack McGahey follows.
January 4, 2017
Dear Mr. McGahey:
Thank you very much for the induction into the VTR Hall of
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Fame and the plaque I recently received.
I was glad to be able to provide a service to VTR in its early days. Now that I’ve recently retired, I hope to get one of my 2 Triumphs back on the road and possibly become more active in VTR again. In fact, my goal is to be able to drive one of them to the next convention in 2017, which conveniently is close to me.
Once again, thanks for the honor.
Sincerely
Donald B. KennedyVTR Member 0922
Use the correct VTR address
VTR was formed and incorporated in the state of Michigan. Our legal address is: PO Box 806216, St Clair Shores, MI 48080 but please do not use this for membership matters as your correspondence will be delayed. For address changes, questions about TVT delivery and other membership items, please send correspondence to Dick Birch, Membership Secretary, Vintage Triumph Register, PO Box Q, Lexington, NC 27293.
VTR Chapter Insurance Program
This program was set up to provide liability insurance for VTR, its chapters and regions, as a member benefit at a reasonable cost. It is administered by J.C. Taylor Insurance Agency, a Pennsylvania firm noted for providing group and individual insurance for the collector auto insurance market. VTR has had its program with them since before the turn of the century.
What companies are used for its program ?: The primary policy is a standard Commercial General Liability contract, including Non-owned auto insurance and an Umbrella cover, issued by Foremost Signature Insurance Co., a member of the Farmers Group and a wholly owned entity of Zurich Financial Services. It carries an “A” rating (excellent) by A.M. Best. The second policy available is a Directors and Officers Liability Policy written by the Old Republic Insurance Co., rated “A+” (Superior) by A.M. Best. This company specializes in D&O liability along with Lawyer’s Professional Liability insurance.
What limits of liability are available? Basically, the General Liability policy with Umbrella provides $2 Million per occurrence / $3 Million General Aggregate protection for most perils, and the D&O policy $2 million per policy Aggregate limit. A full listing of the liability coverages is available along with three pages of info from J.C. Taylor regarding its program. Higher limits of liability are not available through the program but would have to be obtained locally.
What is the annual cost to participate ? The General Liability /Non-owned Auto / Umbrella coverages costs $5.00 per Active Member of the chapter (defined as members who attend several meetings / events per year). The D&O policy costs a flat $50. Chapters can participate in either policy or both. One of the major benefits of joining this group is that individual liability policies can run well into three to four figures for much less coverage.
How many chapters participate ? Fifty regional chapters, including two National chapters (Triumph Wedge Owners and Stag Club USA). Coverage is provided for the chapter, plus chapter members, which includes family members resident in the household, directors and officers. Volunteer workers at chapter or national events are covered, but not actual clubs who are not chapters or regions of VTR.
Are all events covered by these policies? Yes, provided they are located
in the U.S. or Canada. This would include protection for monthly and other meetings for bodily injury or property damage to rented or leased locations. The basic exclusions are Liquor Legal Liability coverage, coverage for participating clubs as mentioned above, and auto liability coverage for autos owned by a chapter.
What does the Non-owned / Hired Auto coverage provide? This endorsement for the basic policy plus Umbrella protection covers the participating chapter plus VTR if a participant in a rallye or autocross injures a spectator and it is determined that he/she carries no personal insurance, or insurance with inadequate limits to cover the financial loss, including legal protection.
What are Certificates of Insurance used for ? They are legal documents requested by property owners usually to assure them that a chapter using their property carries insurance with proper liability limits per their agreement. The document is issued by our agent for the insurance company, and the property owner is then notified if either the policy is cancelled (for non-payment or whatever) or its Limits of Liability have been reduced. No charge is made for issuing the Certificates, but our agent requests enough time to process the document, which includes examining any contracts signed by the chapter regarding the property.
How can our chapter participate in this program ? A packet with all the information is sent to all the chapters listed in The Vintage Triumph magazine prior to the expiration date of the policies, which is usually late February or March as the renewal date is April 15th for either policy. Questions concerning the program or requests for info should be directed to John P. Nixon, VTR Chapter Insurance Coordinator, at [email protected], or 508-896-7662. Jack is a retired independent insurance agent and fellow Triumph owner.
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Number 160 December 2016 / January 2017 ©2017 The Vintage Triumph Register. All Rights Reserved. ISSN 0147-9695
Staff: Editor Michael L. CookAssociate Editor Mark MorganSenior Contributor Paul Richardson
Contributors: John Clancy, Bob DeLucia, Chris “Doc” Holliday, Paul McBride, Mark Morgan, Dave Pilcher
Contributing Photographers: Jeff Armstrong, Charles Frick, Chris “Doc” Holliday, Dave Hutchison, Dave Pilcher, Plain English Archive
Produced and printed by Plain English, NJ, and EXM, formerly TheDesignCo. NC. Printed in USA.
Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the editors and correspondents and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of The Vintage Triumph Register. The Vintage Triumph and staff, and the VTR are not respon-sible for statements or claims made by adver-tisers. Published bi-monthly by The Vintage Triumph Register. Subscription is via member-ship in VTR: $35 per year, $40 for Canada and Mexico, $45 elsewhere. US Funds Only. Third Class postage paid at Gettysburg, PA.Advertising Rates and Deadlines: For com-mercial or classified ads, contact the editor, Mike Cook, 10 Hawthorne Rd., Wayne, NJ 07470 or [email protected]/Address Changes: Send all cor-respondence regarding subscriptions and ad-dress changes to the Vintage Triumph Register, P.O. Box 655, Howell, MI 48844, or contact Membership Secretary, Dick Birch, [email protected] correspondence: Send letters to the editor, article inquiries, photos, etc. to Mike Cook, Editor, The Vintage Triumph, 10 Haw-thorne Rd., Wayne, NJ 07470-5051. Contribu-tions are welcome, but we urge you to contact the editor before sending unsolicited articles, photos or artwork. Material accepted subject to revision. Contributors are responsible for verifying that material submitted is original or must identify the source. Send new Chapter Happenings and listings for the Events Calendar to Mike Cook, 10 Hawthorne Rd., Wayne, NJ 07470-5051, [email protected].
Bi-monthly magazine of the Vintage Triumph Register, incorporating the Triumph Sports Owners Association
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Preliminary Schedule VTR2017 WESTIN PRINCETON AT FORRESTAL VILLAGE201 Village Boulevard, Princeton, NJ 08540
Contact number: 800-937-8461 (Ask for Vintage Triumph National Car Show) The room rate is $119.00 per night and is good for two days before and two days after the convention.
link: https://www.starwoodmeeting.com/events/start.action
Important Registration InformationThe basic registration fee of $135.00
($120.00 prior to June 15, 2017) includes admittance to all events except for Awards Banquet, Breakfast drives, Ice-Cream drives, and Dine-Around drives. The fee covers one driver in one car. VTR requires all non-VTR members pay an additional $35.00 fee for a one-year VTR Membership. One additional driver may be added for a $15.00 fee. Additional cars with the same driver(s) may be added to the base registration for $25.00 per car. The Early Registration cutoff date is June 15, 2017. You must register early to save the $15.00. To guarantee an Awards Banquet seat, you must Pre-Register. Banquet reservations will be accepted on-site only if space is available.
Wednesday August 16thVTR 2017 Registration and Information –
Open 10:00am to 6:30pmVendor set up – 10:00am to 8:00pmCraft, model, photo contest – 10:00am to
8:00pmGimmick and Scenic Rallies* – 10:00am
to 5:00pm (driving events on your own); Washington’s Crossing; New Hope/Lambertville; River Road; Grounds for Sculpture; Princeton
*qualifies as a required driving eventVTR Board meeting – 4:00pm to 5:00pmVTR members meeting – 5:00pm to
6:00pmCar wash openWelcome Reception/BBQ, Princeton
Forrestal Courtyard, 6:30pm to 9:00pm
Thursday, August 17thVTR 2017 Registration and Information –
Open 8:00am to 8:00pmTSD Rally* – 9:00am to 11:00amGimmick and Scenic Rallies* – 8:00am to
5:00pm (driving event on your own)
Tech Inspection – 10:00am to Noon, Autocross
LeMans Start - 10:00am to 4:00pm
Funkana* - 10:00am to 4:00pm
Judges school – 3:00pm to 4:30pm
Tech Session #1 – 2:00 to 3:00pmTech Session #2 - 2:00 to 3:00pm (Wedge
Club)Tech Session #3 – 3:00pm to 4:00pmTech Session #4 - 4:00pm to 5:00pmTech Session #5 - 4:00pm to 5:00pmTech Inspection – 4:00pm to 6:00pm,
AutocrossEvening event/ BBQ Salt Creek (TBD)Auction 7:00pmIce-Cream Run* 7:00pm until?Car wash open all day*qualifies as a required driving event*Note: maybe more Tech sessions. TBD
Friday, August 18th
VTR 2017 Registration – Open 8:00am to 6:00pm
Breakfast Run* – 7:00am to 8:30amGimmick and Scenic Rallies* – 9:00am to
6:00pm (driving event on your own)Autocross – Open for walkthrough
8:00am to 9:00amMandatory Drivers meeting – 9:00am to
9:30amAutocross* – 9:30am to Noon, and 12:30
to 2:30pmDinner runs – 6:00pm to?Ice-Cream Run- 7:00pm to?Car wash open all dayBallots close for Craft, model, photo
contests – 6:00pm*qualifies as a required driving event
Saturday, August 19thRegistration – Open 8:00am to 12:00pmCar wash open all dayJudges breakfast 6:30am to 7:30amPanoramic photo – 8:00 to 9:30amConcours and Participants Choice car
show – 10:00am to 2:00pm……Forrestal Village
Hospitality– 6:00pm to 7:00pm, Banquet and Awards – 7:00pm to
10:00pm, Princeton Forrestal BallroomKeynote Speaker; Mike Cook
Sunday August 20th
Departure at your leisure. Have a safe trip home!
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By Paul Richardson
I was running through some of my interview transcripts recently looking through various topics of interest for articles when I came across some notes I’d made during an interview with the late Graham Sykes the renowned technical engineer at Standard Triumph, who I’ve profiled in TVT. Amongst the paperwork I came across some notes he’d made which he forwarded to me including details of a road and track test on a TR2 made by our famed world champion F1 racing driver Mike Hawthorn. According to Graham, Mike Hawthorn was interviewed about this test drive in one of the motoring magazines at the instigation of Ivor Penrice (Public Relations Manager- P.R.) Graham also informed me that Ivor Penrice organized for this interview to be printed in a copy of the Standard Triumph Company’s regular news letter. I found a copy of this interview which must have been provided by Graham Sykes. It reads as follows-
“Famous English F1 Racing driver Mike Hawthorn, our first world champion, said of the Triumph TR2 in his first test drive of the car from Fleet Street, London to the Silverstone racing circuit. ‘Any sports car maker must expect his car to be tested to the last vibrating engine rev. So I was rough. When I met a line of cars crawling over an ice bound road, I bustled the Triumph along. I found the car doing 50-55 miles an hour, alongside a queue traveling at 20 miles an hour. My hands were ready for that sudden slide, but it never came . For all the Triumph cared it could have been a summers day. The brakes were gentle, true and firm, and the steering was positive and precise. The acceleration was as vivid as the advertisements claimed.’
“After arriving at the Silverstone racing circuit Mike Hawthorne said of his drive round the circuit, which had a covering of snow in parts. ‘ I drove the TR2 down the long straight at 80 miles an hour, and jammed the brakes on hard. I am prepared to bet that no car has had any stability
T H E V I N T A G E T R I U M P H
The Importance of Publicity
tests as I gave the TR2. Never once did it get out of control. Now that is a fine testimonial. The best I can give. For the money, there cannot be a sports car in the world to touch the Triumph TR2. I have never been so flattering about a car before, it embarrasses me.’
“He gave the following details of the TR2’s fuel consumption. ‘From Fleet Street to Silverstone 1 hour 32 minutes. Petrol consumption incredibly low. I calculated with the car driven hard, at around about 32 miles per gallon.” Mike Hawthorn ended his report with the following tribute. “There has never been a Triumph like this.”
It was after looking though interview
transcripts and playing some of my interview tapes relating to TR2 publicity when I came across what I was after – details about the invaluable part Ivor Penrice, Public Relations Manager, played in masterminding publicity for the TR2 announcement as well as all the other models prior to the TR2 etc. This prompted the opportunity to provide more details of Ivor Penrice’s career which proved invaluable at Standard Triumph.
Ivor was born in Meriden near Coventry in 1909, and after a grammar school education he studied technical drawing, art and graphic design at college. After passing all his exams he decided to start his own business called Packwood publicity. At the
Ivor Penrice (right) talking to Jack Croft, one of his PR department staff, at a function at Ivor’s home.
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outbreak of war in 1939, however, Ivor’s business and similar businesses were shut down by government order and Ivor was transferred to war work as a draughtsman in the Standard Motor Company’s drawing office. Throughout the war the company produced over 1000 Mosquito fighter bombers and a great many Hercules radial aircraft engines, and the company’s drawing office staff were obviously involved with all this production. It was during the war that Ivor’s natural talent for publicizing things of interest took off when he organized for RAF fighter pilots to describe their war time experiences to the Standard workforce in the company canteens. This was extremely popular and well supported. It was due to Ivor’s natural interest and talent in developing publicity that he was subsequently invited by Sir John Black to start the company’s Public Relations department. Ivor’s approach to developing publicity was gleaned from his pre- war experiences in his business Packwood Publicity. This included analysis of the publicity given to the activities of the pre- war Mercedes and Auto Union racing teams whereby both teams issued press releases naming works drivers and racing car specifications etc. two weeks before a race. It was this concept of announcing important aspects of company publicity well before the event that made Ivor’s work so successful. Ivor’s staff included Keith Hopkins and Jack Croft (Press Officer P.R.)
During the twelve years he ran his department for the company Ivor masterminded all the new model releases during the years he remained with the company. This included entertaining both home and overseas distributors and other special guests at all the major motor
Top: Hawthorn and Ivor Bueb won the ill-starred 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans. They are shown receiving a bottle of champagne from “Lofty” England, Jaguar team manager.
Bottom: Mike Hawthorn, center, and Phil Walters, won the 1955 Sebring 12-hour in a Jaguar D-type, driving for Briggs Cunningham (L)
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shows including Earl’s Court London, Paris, Geneva, Brussels and several others. It is also a well known fact that English and European Royalty were regular guests on the Standard Triumph stand at Earl’s Court. Visitors to the Stand also included Viscount Montgomery, who owned a Vanguard and our world renowned film star Sir John Mills, who owned a Triumph Roadster. Ivor’s department also hosted promotional luncheons, usually held at the Grosvenor Hotel, for overseas and European distributors visiting the London Motor Show on ‘Trade Days.’ During motor shows, directors and managerial staff took turns hosting the motor show stand, and all this had to be collated by Ivor’s department. The department also had to organize daily press conferences at motor shows where full press releases were handed out including full details of any new models on show. There was also a fleet of demonstration cars available throughout motor shows.
Organizing roads test facilities for the motoring press was a valuable opportunity to gain publicity, and Ivor’s department was the first to offer cars to the editors
of motoring magazines and national newspapers in order to gain road test reports – rather than waiting for the press to ring up and ask.
Ivor was well known for out maneuvering his competitors and a typical example resulted when BMC took a large party of leading motoring writers on a ten day expenses paid trip to see BMC operations round Europe. The Standard Triumph management would never have sanctioned such an expensive exercise. However Ivor came up with a more than suitable answer. He supplied each of the wives of the motoring writers who were away on the BMC European trip with a Standard Ten for a month with free petrol ! When the journalists arrived home from the European trip they found their wives totally enamored with the Standard Ten and Ivor’s PR exercise as were the journalists themselves. In fact Leonard Lord of BMC was so impressed with Ivor’s P R work that he offered Ivor the job of Publicity Manager for BMC. Ivor turned down this opportunity due to his loyalty to Standard Triumph. Ivor also started
the ‘Tour’s of Europe Scheme,’ whereby American customers who ordered their new TR’s in the USA were flown to England by chartered aircraft to pick up their new cars and take a guided tour round England or Europe. On these tours, senior company sales staff and Public relations department staff were also present. After these trips cars were delivered back to Standard Triumph after which they were shipped to the USA for customers. These tours became an extremely popular sales aid for the company as well as and exceptionally well devised public relations exercise with customers.
Ivor and many other company staff played golf and annual golf tournaments between staff and management of supplier companies, and this was a regular occurrence in the company’s Public Relations program. As Ivor once said, “There are more business deals agreed on the golf course than in the board room.” I remember Ivor, my father Ken, Lyndon Mills (Sales Manager), Jack Croft (Press Officer) and John Murrel (Service Manager) were all members of the Stratford On Avon
Left: Ivor Penrice (left) during a golf match (Gentleman on right unknown). Right: Ivor Penrice must be somewhere in this crowd of Americans, just arrived in England to pick up their TR3s for the 1957 Triumph Rally of Europe.
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Golf Club. Manys the time a round of golf was played there by the group on Sunday mornings where Ivor’s sense of humor was enjoyed by all. I well remember my brothers Ian and Charles and the Penrice boys, Peter and Robin, caddying on these golf days – the cash was a useful addition to our pocket money.
(Pull-out) “There are more business deals agreed on the golf course than in the board room.”
Ivor passed away in 1974 and a great character was lost to all who knew and loved him. Philip Turner, midlands editor of Motor Magazine, headed Ivor’s obituary as ‘The Prince of P.R.’ and also wrote that
during the time Ivor worked at Standard Triumph (From 1945 to 1958) “He was without doubt the most outstanding P.R. man in the British Motor industry.
Standard Triumph was the first British Motor Manufacturer to write regular press releases and supply fully captioned photographs announcing new models to the motoring press. This policy had the dual advantage of providing accurate information for press releases, whist also relieving press from the time involved in research. This policy also ensured accurate press releases on a world wide basis. Ivor’s policy here developed for him and his department a first class relationship with both members of the motoring press and
those in the national press. This led to many a ‘grace and favor’ approach to Ivor’s requests on publicity. He also published articles on Sir John Black and Alick Dick as ‘Captains of industry’.
To conclude I have many happy memories of the Penrice family as Ivor’s youngest son Robin was a close pal of mine from our early years and also worked in Public Relations; the Penrice family lived about five hundred yards from the Richardsons. Robin sadly passed away in 2007, but I am still in contact with Peter Penrice, Ivor’s eldest son. Peter was a valued member of staff at Massey Ferguson initially in Leamington Spa and then In Singapore.
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Drive Your Triumph Day 2017
By Rye Livingston, Triumph Travelers Sports Car Club
February 10, 2017, was the 122nd anniversary of the birth of Sir John Black, renowned chairman of the Standard-Triumph Motor Company. Sir John Black organized Standard’s purchase of Triumph after WWII, saving a famed automotive company name from oblivion. In 2016 I invited Triumph owners worldwide to celebrate Sir John’s birthday by taking a photo.
Bill Rogers 1960T R3A Brent Cameron 1954 Swallow Doretti, Picton, South
Island NewZealand
Bob Carter, Te Mata Peak, Havelock North New Zealand
Alex MacLean 1966 TR4A IRS Pt. Reyes, CA
Arthur Fournier TR8 Chesapeake Bay MD.
Bill Rogers 1960 TR3 South Island, New Zealand
Bud Rolofson, 1969 Spitfire MK III, Lakewood Colorado Dan O’Donnell, 1974
TR6, Chester NJ
David Friedlander, TR3 New Hampshire Dave Edwards, 1969 TR3, Alameda CA
Dave Hogye, TR3 Santa Cruz CA
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Hundreds of Triumph owners around the world, from South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, UK, Finland, Canada and the USA, took their Triumphs out for a drive and snapped a photo. Drive Your Triumph
Day was a big success! I received photos from across the US and around the world including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Finland and the UK. It’s amazing to know all these people were out driving, or
at least taking a photo of their Triumph, on the same day! How cool is that!?!
In colder countries, many Triumphs are tucked away for the winter but are still on owners’ minds. I received photos of cars in garages, barns and trailers, some under covers, others in the midst of service or repairs. Some folks, notably in Finland, went out for a drive in the snow.
I heard from numerous owners of TR2s through TR8s, Stags, Spitfires, Heralds, a Mayflower and a Doretti. In group shots, there were a Dolomite and a couple of
David Harwood, 1955 TR2 Johannesburg, South Africa
Fred Morris, TR3, Quartzsite AZ
Dennis Pindiak TR4, Indian Wells, CA Don & Lisa, Stag Kangaroo Ground, Victoria Australia
Geoff Atkinson, TR6 & Stag, Melbourne Australia
George Richardson, 1957 TR3, Monroe NY
Gregg Bachner1 976 TR6, Stephens City, Virginia
Greg Gellar 1973 TR6, Osseo, Minnesota Guy Dellavecchia, 1964TR4, LosGatos, CA.
Heather&BobCarter, TeMate Peak Summit, NorthIsland, NewZealand
Ivan Fernandez Diana Lopez, 1979 Spitfire. Norwalk CA
Jeff Heller, 1970 TR6, Centennial Colorado
Joel Kvacky, 1969 GT6+ Bath PA. John Bowe, 1952
Mayflower
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John Bowe, 1952 Mayflower
John Timko, 1960 TR3A, Boise Idaho Joyce Livingstone, 1956 TR3, Victoria Australia
Mark Morgan, TR8, Manchester MO
Juha Henttu, 1965 Herald, Tornio Finland Juha Tolin, 1960 Herald, Nurmijärvi Finland
Mike Rosselli, 1960 TR3A, San Jose CA
Mike Gilchrist, 1981TR7, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Mike McGuire, 1958 TR3, Denver CO
Steve Burbank, Herald, Mt. View CA Paul Higley, 1932 Southern Cross, Plano TX
Neal Subic, 1970 TR6, Pismo Beach CA
Ray McIver, TR6 Philip Ross 1946 1800 Roadster, StPetersburg, FL
Paul Higley, 1960 Herald, Wylie TX
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2.5 saloons. Even two pre-war Southern Crosses came in! I received more than 130 photos.
Be sure and mark it on your calendar for next year! Drive Your Triumph Day, February 10, 2018. We have an e-mail address: [email protected]
Stan Foster, 1960 TR3A, Dunstable MA
Paul McBride, 1957 TR3, Shawnee Kansas Phill&Gus Loney, 1960 TR3, Gulfport Florida
Rye Livingston, Dixie Dog, 1960 TR3 Santa Cruz Mts. CA
Rick Merrill1, 1974 TR6, Hudson MA
Steve Hedke, 1966 Herald 1200, Santa Clarita CA
Steve Cathey, 1971Spitfire, South Africa
TeriAnn Wakeman, 1960 TR3, Flagstaff AZ
Ted Hirsch, 1975 TR6, 1974 TR6, Kalispell, MT
Tony Miles, 1936 Gloria Southern Cross, Hellidon Oxfordshire, UK
Tony Drews, 1963 TR4, Moline IL.
Triumph Sports Owners Club, Warrandyte Victoria, Australia
Veli-Matti Sihvola, 1971 Spitfire, Kymi Finland
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T H E V I N T A G E T R I U M P H
By Mark Morgan, Associated Editor
A couple more subjects this month, still concerning intra-club communications and, of course, Comms with VTR Central. The first concerns chapter birthdays.
Three years ago Tyee Triumph up on Puget Sound celebrated its 50th anniversary, a remarkable feat for any organization, particularly one operated on a volunteer basis. Tyee did it up right with a series of events and a special anniversary Triumph photo shoot on the grounds of Tacoma’s legendary LeMay Museum, featured in the club’s April 2014 edition of the Tyee Trumpet.
Here in the Midwest, the St Louis Triumph Owners Association has initiated its 35th anniversary proceedings. The club dates its formation to a January 1982 letter by John Kelly to local Triumph owners, asking if they’d be interested in getting together; probably no surprise, but Kelly wound up as SLTOA’s first president (funny how that happens). Anyway, the group is planning a big party in May with appropriate 80s music (full disclosure: the associate editor played in Norfolk, Virginia’s, most famous unknown punk band some 37 years ago, The Young Stags…he can still pogo and bounce around the stage like Dee Dee Ramone and Sid Vicious, but with arthritis, it is a particular challenge), 80s clothing and, of course, a lot of Triumphs. Over at the other end of I-70 in Missouri, the Kansas City Triumphs Club is publishing the 39th volume of its newsletter, which should indicate an upcoming 40th anniversary, right?
We have to assume there are other clubs that have recently celebrated or are doing the planning for an upcoming celebration; if your group is one of them, let us know here at TVT so we can make sure we get some information and photos on the celebration. One, your organization deserves VTR-wide accolades and two, you might inspire one of the other chapters.
As we all know, clubs come and clubs go. We probably all have experience with special interest vehicle groups which collapsed for one reason or another (side note: my experience? Too much reliance
on a small number of members to hold office and make things work. That’s a death sentence for any type of club). Let’s continue as an organization to celebrate the success stories and the long-term great fun of Triumph ownership, maintenance, driving and socializing.
Now, in a related area, we mentioned Tyee’s 50th. The club is one of the former Triumph Sports Owners Association (TSOA) chapters. Seeing as TSOA merged into the Vintage Triumph Register in late 1981, the Kansas City gang is also most likely a former TSOA chapter. How many others are out there?
Here in St Louis we’ve done some research (thanks Temple of Triumph!) to get information on the TSOA chapters in Kansas City, St Louis and Belleville, Illinois (the latter particularly short-lived). Other clubs are also attempting to determine how far they go back, either as one of the original TSOA organizations or to find out about predecessor clubs in their vicinity. For example, the Capital Triumph Register – which dates to 1989 – is one of
those VTR chapters now actively engaged in learning its history and is seeking info on the former TSOA chapter in the DC-Baltimore area (if anyone can help and provide information, please contact Art Fournier at [email protected]).
If you and your chapter are involved in a research project, give us a holler. In my day job, I’m an Air Force historian at a base in the Midwest; I previously served as a historian with the National Park Service in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and Scranton, Pennsylvania. If I can assist with your research effort or if you’re looking for ideas on where to, well, look, feel free to drop me a line directly.
Why this emphasis on history, say above and beyond Triumph car history, competition history or racing team history? Because clubs are much more than cars; they’re people (feel free to roll your eyes at this point and say, “obviously!”). Clubs actually have personalities and those personalities are a valuable part of your club’s record. Go forth, be fruitful and nail down your club’s heritage.
Top: Mark Morgan Bottom: Tyee Triumph members parked in honor of the club’s 50th Anniversary.
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